Hoopeston Street Party Raises Money for Theater Restoration

Hoopeston Street Party Raises Money for Theater Restoration

HOOPESTON -- A huge street party Saturday night will raise money to restore an iconic building in one local community.

HOOPESTON -- A huge street party Saturday night will raise money to restore an iconic building in one local community.

The Lorraine Theater on Main Street in Hoopeston closed in 2012. Too few people attended movies on its single screen, an issue compounded by an expensive digital upgrade required by national movie distributors.

But in 2013, a buyer purchased the building, one of the oldest in Hoopeston, and turned it over to the Save the Lorraine Foundation, a group wanting to see the Lorraine reopened and restored. Since then, the group has shown movies at a sister theater down the street (the "Little Lorraine") and held other fundraising events. Volunteers work on the theater itself as well, replacing mortar between bricks, painting, cleaning, and repairing utilities. The end goal: see the theater reopened in its former glory, providing a foundation for the rehabilitation of all of downtown Hoopeston.

This Saturday, the group will hold its first "block party," the Save the Lorraine Street Party. From 12:00pm to 12:00am (noon to midnight), people will be able to enjoy food, games, children's activities, and live music. Admission is free, but donations are requested. (See the complete schedule at the bottom of this article)

"We decided to have this party to not only raise money, but to also give something back to the community for all their support," said Alex Houmes, Board Member of the Save the Lorraine Foundation.

Click the video to learn more about why the group feels the Lorraine is such an important part of the Hoopeston community.

Check out the Save the Lorraine Foundation's web site and Facebook pages: